Weather is the largest variable impacting home energy demand Many homes are equipped with a standard thermostat to regulate heating and cooling, where the occupant either manually adjusts the temperature to account for weather conditions or the thermostat automatically adjusts temperature based on a predetermined schedule. The automatic adjustment of temperature may be conducted by a utility that provides power to the home, but often such adjustments are based on incomplete or inaccurate weather information for the precise location of the home and do not factor in the occupant's personal preferences. In addition, these systems are generally not capable of accounting for the thermal characteristics of the particular building in which the thermostat is installed.
As a result, such systems react to current weather conditions and temperature needs of the home, rather than performing pre-heating and/or pre-cooling based on forecast weather conditions and the energy characteristics of the home.